Been to do my democratic duty. Thoroughly approve of polling stations that look like this and that make you wear a gown to vote…. But last time we got free cake! No cake this election. Democratic standards have declined at @Cambridge_Uni

RT @ChurchTimes: In this week's Notebook, @patrick_kidd ✍️ on an admirable sense of duty, losing friends, and becoming a president. https://….

“Four things are never forgiven a foreign correspondent: 1) to be a coward, 2) to drop his colleagues in the shit, 3) to be mean, and 4) – a long way behind – is to get things wrong.” The wisdom of Sandy Gall in my @ObserverUK obituary of him last week.

Wimbledon's new camera line judge, who I've called Hugh after McEnroe's old pal Hugh Cannaby-Serious, is welcome if it makes snap decisions but the odd gaffe reminds us that robots can be human too and bad luck is part of sport. Wrote this for @spectator .

RT @spectator: 🎙️ The Edition: Peerless – the purge of the hereditary peers. 🔸 Charles Moore and @SophiaFalkner on Keir’s peer purge.🔸 @_F_….

RT @pjmeade: @patrick_kidd @ObserverUK Fingers’ blazer and Panama on his seat at HQ today.

The Lord’s Test starts today and it won’t be the same without Fingers, a constant presence for 57 years. I wrote his obituary for @ObserverUK. In a lovely tribute @HomeOfCricket have agreed to drape his XXXL MCC blazer over his customary pavilion seat.

RT @patrick_kidd: Eel Pie Island, in the Thames by Twickenham, was once home to a blues club that hosted the Rolling Stones 24 times. Now i….

RT @SarahDuggers: @patrick_kidd I used to have a boyfriend who lived there and it’s all fun and games until you have to phone in to a new j….

RT @NewsUKArchives: @patrick_kidd from The Times archive a pic: Duchess of York, with the Duke of York at the Civil service Regatta at Eel….

Eel Pie Island, in the Thames by Twickenham, was once home to a blues club that hosted the Rolling Stones 24 times. Now it's a peaceful retreat for artists where the public are banned save for a couple of weekends a year. I visited on Sunday and wrote this.

RT @rugbyjaffa: 63rd when you add the extras.

RT @angus_donald: The true story of the Englishman who fought for Genghis Khan: coming soon!

The rain badly underperformed at Edgbaston. It started well and was building a decent-looking innings but just when you thought it might go on to produce something of substance that might save the match it was gone. Typical Bazball weather. Lasted longer than the top six, though.

An excellent side sport has broken out at Henley Regatta, where men often outpeacock women: trousers snooker. Is there also a blazer/tie version? Remenham would run up quite a large break just with one pair of socks.

God Only Knows, by The Beach Boys, isn't about what you think it's about. My old pal Tom Greeves, as ever, provides the musical analysis that so-called experts can't discern, all while eating a cheese sandwich elegantly.

I actually made THREE catches in my school career. Though one was for another school after our cricket master kindly loaned me to them. The captain, an Essex colt, hit the ball straight to me, assuming that was the safest place to play the ball and somehow it stuck.

Last Friday I became president of @OldColcestrians, yesterday @crgscc won their first match at the Royal Grammar Schools Cricket Festival since 2017. A coincidence? Well, obviously. But I’m delighted for them. Must have been inspired by hearing me talk about making a catch once….

It was British discipline and drumstick moustaches vs American razzmatazz and pom-poms as seven marching bands of different styles paraded and competed at Hampton Court to close London Band Week. My latest Sketches of London dispatch for ⁦@thetimes⁩.

I thought it was called a blob not a dot.